Multi-fuel heater control valve



Feb. 9, 1965 J. B. MELLETT MULTI-FUEL HEATER CONTROL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3. 1961 //Vl ENTOE den: 5. Me/Ae zz A v /a/we/ Feb. 9, 1965 J. B. MELLETT 3,168,399

MULTI-FUEL HEATER CONTROL VALVE Filed May 5. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jerre 5. MeV/c 71.

// fr a/we/ United States Patent 3,163,899 MULTI-FUEL HEATER CSNTROL VALVE Jesse B. Mellett, Zionsville, Ind., assignor to Stewart- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Virginia Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 107,537 2 Claims. (Cl. 137341) This invention relates to a control valve operable to meter fuel to a heater for regulating the heat output thereof, and more particularly, to a control valve operable to meter substantially any liquid fuel regardless of its flow characteristic at its supply temperature.

A typical control system for a fuel valve of this type is disclosed in Patent No. 2,481,630, issued September 13, 1949, to V. N. Tramontini, entitled Heater Control. A typical control valve, of which this disclosure forms an improvement, is shown in the Patent No. 2,602,468, issued July 8, 1952, to G. W. Allen, et al. entitled Flow Restrictor.

The heat output of many existing gasoline heaters is regulated by metering the quantity of fuel admitted to the heater. A control valve meters the gasoline through calibrated flow restrictors in the flow path as a function of the pressure di'lferential across the restrictors. The inlet or supply temperature of the gasoline to the valve is of no great importance since gasoline experiences only a small change in its viscosity at ambient winter temperatures of less than 50 F.

Heavier petroleum fuels commercially available have viscosities that change by a relatively large percentage throughout suchtemperature ranges. Since accurate operation of control valves of this type depends upon uniform flow characteristics of the metered fuel, unless the viscosity of the metered fuel is maintained constant independently of the fuel supply temperature, the valve cannot accurately control the heater output.

This invention provides means wherein the fuel meters by the control valve is kept at a substantially uniform temperature regardless of the fuel supply temperature. Thus, flow characteristics of the fuel remain uniform so that the control valve meters accurately throughout all, and independently of the possible fuel supply temperatures.

An object of this invention is to provide a heater control valve capable of accurately metering substantially any liquid fuel, including fuels having the characteristic of rapidly changing viscosity for a generally small change in temperature, independently of the supply temperature of the fuel. I

Another object of this invention is to provide aheater control valve having means therein operable to sense the temperature of the fuel metered thereby.

Another object of this invention is to provide a heater control valve having a thermostat operable to sense the temperature of the metered fuel and having a heating source operably responsive to a signal from the thermostat to heat the fuel in the valve to within the desired metering temperature.

In order that the principles of the invention can be readily understood, reference is hereby made to a particular embodiment described in the specification and shown in the'accornpanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of the control valve forming the subject matter of this invention;

,FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially in longitudinal section, of the valve as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view, partially in section, of the restrictors forming the fuel flow paths within the valve of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heating element used in the valve of EEG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a partial electrical wiring schematic of the valve of FIG. 1.

The control valve includes a valve body having inlet and outlet openings interconnected by a plurality of through passageways. Restrictors in the passageways operate to meter predetermined quantities of fuel as a function of the pressure differential across the restrictors and the flow characteristics of the fuel. Solenoid operated valves control the flow paths through the restrictors for regulating the fuel flow to the valve outlet.

Referring to the particular structure of the subject valve, valve body 10 has an inlet 14 that communicates through passageway 16 (FIG. 2) to small cylindrical threaded opening 18. The opening 18 communicates with and is adjacent larger cylindrical chamber 26. A pressure regulator 24 of the well known needle control type is threaded into the opening 18 against an interposed gasket 26 therein. The chamber 20 is closed by a resilient diaphragm 28 having at its center a rigid bearing member 36 engaging needle control 32 of pressure regulator 24. The position of needle control 32 within the pressure regulator 24 controls the pressure drop of the fuel across the pressure regulator 24. Cap 34 secures diaphragm 23 to flange 36 of the valve body 10.

A spring 33 is interposed between bearing member30 on diaphragm 2S and spring mount 42 adjustably supported on screw 44 threaded into the end of cap 34. Ad-

' justment of the screw 44 balances the compressive force valve member 52 is biased by spring 56 to cover the passageway 54 and attracted by energized solenoid coil 58 of the on-olf valve 51 to open the passageway 54. Passageway 54 (see FIG. 3) communicates via passageway 60, through calibration orifice 61 in orifice plate 62 and the aligned openings 63 in gaskets 64 and 66 disposed on opposite sides of the plate 62, to passageway 63 in valve head 76. Bolts 72 (FIG. 2) threaded into valve body 1% secure valve'head 70, the orifice plate 62 and gaskets 64 and 66 against the valve body. Passageway 74 (FIG, 2) in valve head communicates the passageway 68 with fuel outlet 76 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of the valve. The outlet 76 communicates with aheater (not shown) to deliver fuel thereto for the low heat output requirement thereof.

Another passageway?" (FIG. 3) communicates passageway 6b with a chamber 82 disposed adjacent solenoid actuated restriction valve 33. The restriction valve 83, structurally the same as the on-off valve 51, has a movable valve member 84 spring biased to close passageway 86 extending from chamber 82 and solenoid actuated by coil 85 (FIG. 5) of valve 83 to open passageway 80.

Passageway 86 communicates via passageway 86, through aligned opening 38 and orifice S9 in the gasket 64 and the orifice plate 62 respectively, through slot 90 in gasket 66 to elongated recess 92 in the valve head 70. The flow path is then directed through orifice 93 and opening 94 winter temperatures *elow 50 1 Consecluently, tirnes chamber 29 (F1622).

' affected chemically by the fuel.

l o 1Q in the orifice plate z-and gasket res sageway (not shown) in valve body cti ely, to a paspe it? that, communi- "cates with high heat fuel outlet (FIG. 1). The aligned high heat output requirements thereof.

When the on-otf valve 51 is open and the restriction valve 83 is closed, a continuous flow path communicates fuel from the valve inlet 14 to the valve outlet '76'which comprises the metered fuel for the low heat output requirementof the heater. When the restriction valve is also open, fuel from the valve inlet is communicated to both the valve outlets 76 and the variable requirements of heat output can be satisfied by opening or closing the restriction valve 35 to vary the quantity of fuel admitted to the heater i For accurate control of the heater output, the quantity of fuel admitted to the heater must be see rately metered by the restriction orifices 61, 89 and 93 of orifice Certain fuels such as the heavier grades of fuel oil have change of temperature, particularly at expected ambient s provisions are made to maintain the viscosity of the metered fuel substantially constant regardless of the sup- 'ply fuel temperature, the heater output cannot be accurately controlled. This invention provides means asso-' ciatedwith the control valve to maintain the temperature of the metered fuel relatively constant independently of the fuel supply temperature. Thus the metered fuel has a relatively uniform viscosity which permits accurate meterling thereof for accurate heat output control of the heater.

Arheating source 162. (FIGS. 2 and 4) isdisposed in.

close proXimityof-the fuel in the control valve, as in The heating sourceltlZ includes a frame'lh lhaving an opening 1tl3 which fits over pressure regulator 24;. The frame 1% isjrnade of porcelain or other like material which isnonconductive and is un- A heating element 1% is Wound around frame 1&4 and kept separate from the adjacent strand by means of spaced grooves lit? in projecting tabs 1%. Terminal leads 1% connect the ends of heating element 105 on the opposite sides of frame The leads ltis are generally flexible to allow movement or" the frame 194 within chamber Ztlaway from the diaphragm 23 for unrestricted movement of the diaphragm.

i Rubber gaskets lit) are disposed on opposite sides of the terminal leads 1% to prevent shorting thereof with the valve body It or cap 34. v

Thus an electric current flowing through heating coil 1% heats the fuel within the control valve to a temperature independent of and higher than the fuel supply temperature. The fuel in turn heats 1e pressure regulator 24 to insure a uniform pressure drop across the pressure regulator because of the uniform fuel viscosity.

Since the ambient temperature of the fuel source and consequently the inlet fuel temperature will vary, provibimetal arm 119 is connected in series with the heating i coil 1%. The thermostat 116 is held against the valve head 7% by bracket 12% and the bolts 72. The valve head 70 will be representative or" the temperature of the metered fuel since the low heat fuel outlet it? extends therefrom and since the high heat fuel flow path is through recess 92 therein. The bimetal ann al? can be adjusted so that contacts 117 and 118 open and close at t :3 M a.

th efiicient heatim of immersed heat element 1 52 the in rature or tne fuel will readily be brought up to the Thus, as the thermostat sired metering temperature. I

1-6 senses that the temperature of the fuel is within the ccurate metering range, bimetal arm 13% opens contacts 1? 113 to deenergize the heat source i i/Z. The heat emitted by electric coils 53 andfifi of the Orr-off valve 51 and restriction valve 33 is trapped in part in casings 122 (FIG. 2) to maintain the fuel at the acceptable metering temperature.

5 shows a wiring schematic of the energized circuits i* t e control valve. Coil 555 of the on-off valve'El and c r. 5 of restriction valve 83 are controlled by a heater control such as shown in the above-mentioned Fatent No. 248L636 to Tramontini. Thermostat contacts 117 and energize and deenergize a circuit including an electrical potential, conductors 12d, and 123, and

the heating coil Terminals 1136 on the thermostat 3.16 allow a ready slip connection with the conductor 124 and 1%.

While one embodiment has been shown, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications cw be made in the structure and configuration'of the control valve Without eparting from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is desired that the invention not be limited to the embodiment shown but by the limitation recited in the appended claims.

What is. claimed is: V

'1. In a heater control valve having a valve body through which a restricted flow passageway extends from an inlet port to an outlet port for transmitting high viscosity fuel from a fuel source at a rate dependent on the pressure drop across said restricted passageway and the fuel viscosity and wherein said inlet port is adapted to be controlled by a pressure regulator valve disposed in a chamber through which said fuel is adapted to pass and said outlet port is adapted to be controlled for permitting the passage of said fuel therethrough, the improvement comprising an electrically insulating body in said'chamher, and a plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive serially connected bare strands of a heating element car.- ried by said body and adapted to be submerged in the fuel in said chamber for direct contact with the fuel in said chamber, whereby said fuel is adapted to be directly heated by said element on energization of said heating element for lowen'ng the viscosity of said fuel in order to maintain a desired pressure drop across said passageway.

2 In a heater control valve having a valve body through which a plurality of restricted flow passageways extend from a common inlet port to a plurality of different outlet ports for transmitting high viscosity fuel from plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive serially i connected bare strands of a heating element carried by said body and adapted to be submerged in thefuel in said i chamber for direct contact with the fuel in said chamber, and a thermostatic switch adjacent a said common valve head structure for sensing the temperature of said fuel in the terminal portions of said passageways to control-the electrical energizatiou of said heating element in accordance with the temperature of said fuel whereby the vis- 5 6 cosity of the fuel entering said passageways is maintained 1,988,289 Wittemann Jan. 15, 1935 within predetermined limits. 2,556,557 Schweitzer June 12, 1951 ,215 References Cited in the file of this patent 468 2 2 a1 g g UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,704,085 Bieger et a1 Mar. 15, 1955 1,534,091 Smoot Apr. 21, 1925 1,654,614 Smith Jan. 3, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,861,877 Quill June 7, 1932 346,742 Switzerland July 15, 1960 

1. IN A HEATER CONTROL VALVE HAVING A VALVE BODY THROUGH WHICH A RESTRICTED FLOW PASSAGEWAY EXTENDS FROM AN INLET PORT TO AN OUTLET PORT FOR TRANSMITTING HIGH VISCOSITY FUEL FROM A FUEL SOURCE AT A RATE DEPENDENT ON THE PRESSURE DROP ACROSS SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGEWAY AND THE FUEL VISCOSITY AND WHEREIN SAID INLET PORT IS ADAPTED TO BE CONTROLLED BY A PRESSURE REGULATOR VALVE DISPOSED IN A CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH SAID FUEL IS ADAPTED TO PASS AND SAID OUTLET PORT IS ADAPTED TO BE CONTROLLED FOR PERMITTING THE PASSAGE OF SAID FUEL THERETHROUGH, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING BODY IN SAID CHAMBER, AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SERIALLY CONNECTED BARE STRANDS OF A HEATING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID BODY AND ADAPTED TO BE SUBMERGED IN THE FUEL IN SAID CHAMBER FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE FUEL IN SAID CHAMBER, WHEREBY SAID FUEL IS ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTLY HEATED BY SAID ELEMENT ON ENERGIZATION OF SAID HEATING ELEMENT FOR LOWERING THE VISCOSITY OF SAID FUEL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A DESIRED PRESSURE DROP ACROSS SAID PASSAGEWAY. 